Foot-cleaning mat



Jan. 14, i930. w. J. HooGEwEG ETAL 1,743,139

FooT CLEANING xm Filed March 17. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F iG.1

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Jan 14, 1930. w. J. HooGEwEG ETAL 1,743,139

FOOT CLEANING MAT Fileduarcn 17. 1927 "2 sheets-sheet 2 FIG:4

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?atented Jan. 14, 193@ WILLEM JACOB HOOGEWEG, F HENGELO, AED EIANUEL VAN OVEN, OF AERDENHOUT, NETHERLANDS FOOT-CLEANNG MAT Application filed March 17, 1827, Serial No. 176,168, and in the Netherlands June 25, 1926.

This invention relates to foot-cleaning mats, particularly for use in hotels, restaurants, banks, and other large buildings, where a continuous arrival of visitors maT generally .5 be expected.

The object of the invention is to provide a foot-cleaning device which operates automatically, that is, which is so formed that the soles of the boots or shoes of every visitor who in entering treads upon the mat are automatically and thoroughly cleaned, whether the entering person stands still or continues moving.

Foot-cleaning mats are already known with cleaning devices movably arranged between the hars of a grid-like foundation made of wood or iron.

The invention consists herein, that means are provided for setting these cleaning devices in a to and fro movement. Preferably with such an arrangement the drive of the cleaning devices is so chosen that the directions of movement of each two succeeding cleaning devices are opposite to one another.

In this manner a complete cleaning of the boots or shoes is ensured.

The oppositely directed to and fro movements of the cleaning devices which take place with very high speed can, according to the invention, be derived from two sets of approximately parallel shafts located on both sides of the grid. which are oscillated back and forth over an equal angle in opposite directions, the arrangement being such that the 5 ends of each two succeeding devices located on the same side are connected by a flexible connection with different shafts of the set corresponding thereto, and the two ends of each cleaning device are in connection with two shafts rota-ting in the same direction.

ln the accompanying drawings a constructional form of the invention is illustrated by way of example, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan of a part of a foot-clean ing mat according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line ll-ll of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line llllll of Fig. 1 drawn to a larger scale and looking in the direction of the arrows and Figs. 4 and 5 show diagrammatic views ofthe oscillating means. l p Referring to the drawings, the foot-cleana grid-like frame 1,7of which the grid hars are formed of supporting plates 2 arranged parallel and equidistant from one another, the ends of which are connected to housing 3 extending along two sides of the grid. Between each two supporting plates 2 is located a cleaning device which, in the constructional form illustrated, consists of a brush l which on the lower side is fixed upon a hand or wire 5 which passes through the inner wall of the housing 8 and is moved in a manner hereinafter more particularly described. ln each housino' 3 is disposed a set of two parallel shafts 6, and 8, 9, which by means of spur wheels 10, 11,` and 12, 13 are connected Y with one another. To one of the shaftsA of each set is communicated, preferably by means of a driving device common to both sets, a rapid oscillating rotary Amovement through yquite a small angle, which rotary movement is transmitted' by the spur wheels in the opposite direction to the second shaft of each set. Upon the shafts are mounted chain wheels 14, 15, or 16, 17, in the constructional form shown, in whichthe chain wheels of the one shaft are displaced relatively to those of theother shaft. Round these chain wheels are passed short chains 18, 19, one'end of which is connected with the wire 5 of the chains remain in connection with one another ing mat illustrated'herein consists mainly of by a second wire 20.V rEhe arrangement is adapted so that the ends of each two suc ceeding brushes located on the same side cooperate with dierent shafts of the proper set, in such a manner that the two ends of each brush are connected with two shafts rotating in the same direction. rlhus when, in the constructional form shown, the wire 5 of one brush is connected with chains which circulate round the chain wheels 1l and 16, the former on the outer shaft 6 of one set and the latter on the inner shaft 8 of the second set rotating in the same cirection, the chains with which the wire 5 of the-next brush is connected are arranged to circulate round the chain wheels 15 and 17 which are fixed the former upon the inner shaft 7 of the first set and the latter upon the outer shaft 9 of the second set.

. Fig. 4 shows suitable means for rocking the shaft 9 and thus reciprocating the cleaning devices. In this arrangement the shaft 9 or an extension thereof carries a lever A rigidly secured thereon and the free end of the lever is pivotally connected to one end of a rod B the other end of which is connected to a crank or crank disc C driven by any suitable motor, for example an electric motor, in such a manner that upon the crank C being rotated the lever A is oscillated and the shaft 9 is rocked. This rocking movement is transmitted to the shaft 8 by means of the mutually engaging spur wheels 13 and 12 and the rocking motions of theshafts 9 and 8 are transmitted by the short chains 18, 19, and wires 5 and 20 to the cleaning devices, such as the brushes 4, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 the cleaning devices are mounted on two intcrconnected rocking levers A, A', acted upon the cranklC of the motor.

In this manner is obtained a consecutive series of cleaning elements in which the adjacent elements, on the shaft being driven, are moved in a rapid to and fro motion in opposite directions vto one another. The common surface of the cleaning elements extends normally somewhat beyond the supporting plates 2; as however the wires 5 are flexible the corresponding elements will yield locally under the pressure of the foot. until the foot is supported upon the upper edge of the supporting plates 2. Bv the rapidly moving In testimony whereof, we aiiix our signatures.

WILLEM JACOB HOOGEWEG. EMANUEL VAN OVEN.

cleaning elements under the foot the sole of the boot is thus thoroughly cleaned without it being necessary for the person to stand still upon the mat. It is clear that instead of the cleaning elements shown and described other cleaning devices can be used, while other changes also can lbe made in carrying out the invention without exceeding the ambit of the claims.

Whatwe claim is 1. A foot-cleaning mat comprising a grid foundation having a plurality of parallel spaced bars, movable cleaning elements arranged between the said bars, and means associated with said cleaning elements to direct a reciprocating movement of each two consecutive movable cleaning elements in opposite directions to ,each other.

2. A foot-cleaning mat comprising a` grid foundation having a plurality of parallel spaced bars, movable cleaning elements arranged between the said bars, a pair of parallel shafts disposed at each end of said foundation normal to said bars, a plurality of pulleys arranged on said shafts, means for eecting the opposite oscillation of the shafts of each 

